Summary

  • Man jailed after huge cocaine haul

  • Inquiry after hospital power failure caused major incident

  • Health commissioning body rated inadequate

  • Updates from Friday 22 July 2016

  1. Weather: Stand by for a warm and muggy nightpublished at 17:13 British Summer Time 18 July 2016

    BBC Weather

    It looks like it's going to be a difficult night for sleeping - warm and muggy.

    What are your tips for sleeping in a heatwave? If you want, check out this article from a couple of years ago when our colleagues looked at tips to tackle the issue.

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  2. Latest: Emergency repairs ongoing on M6 lanes; man seriously hurt in crash; two arrests over 'fake' £20 notespublished at 17:05 British Summer Time 18 July 2016

    Lee Thomas
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    Here's the latest headlines we're looking at this evening:

    - Several lanes on the M6 in Staffordshire are still shut, external, several hours after a diesel spillage, as highways bosses say they're working hard to make emergency repairs to the surface

    - An elderly man's suffered serious chest injuries this afternoon in a two-car crash in Staffordshire, external

    - Two men have been arrested on suspicion of fraud offences in the Staffordshire Moorlands after police say suspected forged £20 notes were spent, external

  3. Football: Berahino to leave West Brom this summerpublished at 16:52 British Summer Time 18 July 2016

    Pat Murphy
    BBC Midlands football reporter

    Saido BerahinoImage source, Getty Images

    This summer's Saido Berahino saga won't run as long as last summer's cliffhanger, but West Brom will want to line up at least two replacements before allowing the striker to leave after he turned down a new contract offer at the Hawthorns. 

    I understand Stoke, Watford and Crystal Palace are all in the market for Berahino, with Palace the most willing to fork out around £20m - but West Brom will be looking beyond that figure, in a market inflated by the new TV deal.

    If necessary, West Brom's owner Jeremy Peace will just let Berahino's contract run down until it expires next summer, then see what fee a tribunal sets. But a parting of the ways is more likely before the end of this current transfer window.    

  4. Two arrests over 'fake' £20 notespublished at 16:41 British Summer Time 18 July 2016

    Ros Chimes
    Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke

    Two men have been arrested on suspicion of fraud offences in the Staffordshire Moorlands.

    A load of £20 notesImage source, PA

    Staffordshire Police say over the weekend suspected forged £20 notes were used to buy low value items at pubs, external and shops across the area including in Leek and Froghall.

    The force says a 19 and 24-year-old from Leicester were arrested in Leek yesterday and released on bail.

  5. Elderly man seriously hurt in Stone crashpublished at 16:33 British Summer Time 18 July 2016

    Lee Thomas
    Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

    An elderly man's suffered serious chest injuries this afternoon in a two-car crash in Staffordshire. 

    Aston roundabout near StoneImage source, Google

    Staffordshire Police, external say they had to shut the A34 around Stone after the collision southbound near the Aston roundabout. 

    The force says the man was taken to the Royal Stoke University Hospital after the crash between a Rover and a Porsche.

  6. M6 delays: Three lanes remain shut for emergency repairspublished at 16:14 British Summer Time 18 July 2016

    BBC Travel

    There are still heavy delays on the M6 northbound in Staffordshire as we head into rush hour with Highways England saying three lanes remain shut between junctions 12 and 13.

    They say they're doing emergency repairs to around 100m (328ft) of carriageway which was "damaged by a diesel spillage this morning".

    Congestion is back to J10 for Wolverhampton.

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  7. Watch: Tonight and tomorrow's weather for Stoke and Staffordshirepublished at 16:07 British Summer Time 18 July 2016

    Charlie Slater
    BBC Weather presenter

    For a weather forecast at any other time, get the latest off the BBC Weather website.

    Media caption,

    What's the weather got in store?

  8. Football: Stoke City play down captain's latest back injurypublished at 15:51 British Summer Time 18 July 2016

    Matt Sandoz
    Stoke City commentator, BBC Radio Stoke

    Stoke City's assistant manager Mark Bowen says fans shouldn't be concerned by Ryan Shawcross's latest back injury. 

    Ryan ShawcrossImage source, Getty Images

    The Potters captain fell awkwardly in training and missed Saturday's 3-0 friendly defeat at Burton Albion. 

    But Bowen says it's a minor problem and fans don't need to worry.

    Quote Message

    It was nothing to do with his old injury, just a little tweak in his back and, as far as we are aware, he should be fit to train next week and obviously in the frame for Preston North End."

    Mark Bowen, Stoke City's assistant manager

  9. Call to be careful with water consumptionpublished at 15:36 British Summer Time 18 July 2016

    Water restrictions are not on the cards during the hot weather, say Severn Trent, but the company is encouraging customers to be careful with consumption.

    Severn Trent say they've been able to balance out supplies by moving water across the region, helped by last month's rainfall, which filled local reservoirs back up to healthy levels.

    Severn TrentImage source, Google
  10. Earlier machine warnings for gamblers in Staffordshire and Cheshirepublished at 15:26 British Summer Time 18 July 2016

    Lucy King
    News Editor, BBC Radio Stoke

    Gamblers in Staffordshire and Cheshire are, from today, getting earlier warnings if they're using fixed-odds betting machines about how much they've spent. 

    A system used to be in place to warn users after they had spent half an hour at a machine or £250.

    Gambling machine

    Now, the Association of British Bookmakers says the new mandatory alerts have been revised to 20 minutes and £150.  

    It is part of Gamble Aware Week, external - the industry's campaign to encourage safe and responsible gambling.   

  11. New winger on way to Crewe - Davispublished at 15:09 British Summer Time 18 July 2016

    Crewe Alexandra manager Steve Davis says the League Two club are set to sign a new winger.

    Read More
  12. BBC Weather Watcher picture: 'Amazing' clouds in Staffordshirepublished at 14:49 British Summer Time 18 July 2016

    BBC Weather Watchers

    These amazing clouds were photographed in Newcastle-under-Lyme by BBC Weather Watcher Juelcontrol.

    Our weather watchers are volunteers who update us on the forecast from where they are and you can sign up to be one too on the website.

    Clouds in Newcastle-under-LymeImage source, juelcontrol
  13. Picture: New first for Cheshire zoopublished at 14:34 British Summer Time 18 July 2016

    The latest new arrival at Chester Zoo in Cheshire's been revealed as a Malayan tapir calf.

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  14. Stafford's Post House in voluntary liquidationpublished at 14:21 British Summer Time 18 July 2016

    Emma Thomas
    Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke

    Stafford's historic Post House venue has closed to the public after going into voluntary liquidation. , external

    The 18th Century building was renovated as a restaurant, nightclub and wedding venue in 2011.

    Post House, StaffordImage source, Google

    A statement on its Facebook page says customers seeking refunds for recent bookings should contact the administrators. 

    The management blame "unresolved issues" in saying they're not going to continue the business.

  15. 'Worryingly he runs like Robbie Savage'published at 13:50 British Summer Time 18 July 2016

    Burton Albion signing Jackson Irvine has an 'awkward run', reminiscent of Robbie Savage, says boss Nigel Clough.

    Read More
  16. Severe weather could bring flash flooding: Met Officepublished at 13:45 British Summer Time 18 July 2016

    BBC Weather

    The Met Office says hot weather could bring severe thunderstorms to the West Midlands on Tuesday and Wednesday., external

    It says there's a risk of flash flooding, frequent lightning, hail and strong winds, with disruption to power also possible. 

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  17. Travel: Lane reopens on M6 near Cannock as resurfacing work continuespublished at 13:37 British Summer Time 18 July 2016

    BBC Travel

    A lane has been reopened, Highways England say, between junctions 12 and 13 where emergency resurfacing work's taking place.

    It's after the fuel spillage this morning near Cannock.

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